Vibrant, thriving Farmville worth a visit | A look at Brock Experiences: New Orleans
A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY
125 years later
The Spirit of CHI
Longwood’s oldest secret society celebrates its quasquicentennial anniversary.
The past isn’t just some distant, dead artifact. It’s very much with us; it’s being reshaped every day.’
—DR. GREGORY MOLE, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, BROCK EXPERIENCES: NEW ORLEANS LEAD FACULTY MEMBER
Page 16
12 The Spirit Walks On 125 years of CHI.
Getting Their Hands Dirty Lancers dig up history at Patrick Henry’s Red Hill.
3
16
Spinning Wheels
Freshman competes in international artistic skating competitions.
4
21
Brock Experiences: New Orleans
The newest addition to experiential learning program.
Forging Her Own Path Alumna thriving in career as higher-ed fundraiser.
Stepping Up Their Game
New donorfunded sports performance center unveiled.
5
New Coach, Same Standard
Get to know Longwood’s new(ish) men’s basketball coach.
6
25 A NotSo-Secret Gathering CHI reunion celebrates Longwood’s oldest secret society.
Destination Farmville
The evolution of America’s oldest twocollege town.
8
32 Off The Clock Artist, flautist, and driver of community and economic success.
On the Cover
Evidence of CHI’s presence, like the secret society’s signature blue rotunda logo, appears throughout Longwood’s campus. Founded in 1900, the organization celebrated its 125th anniversary this fall. Page 12
A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY
FALL 2025
Editor Chris Cook
Graphic Design
Rachael Davis
Editor Emerita
Sabrina Brown
Associate Editors
Gina Caldwell, Matthew McWilliams, Lauren Whittington
Photographer Courtney Vogel
Contributors
Ashley Bapties ’21, Tyler Birnbaum, Josh Blakely, Megan Campbell ’18, Dare County Schools, Austin Eichelberger ’07, TheFarmvilleHerald, Fian Arroyo Illustration, Ryan Fletcher, Maddie Gray ’29, Dustyn Hall ’18, Sam Hovan, Wes Hyslop ’15, Kari Joyner ’08, Kathy Jurek, Ashley Kaleta ’24, Mike Kropf ’14, Nicole Perkins ’05, Rebecca Powell ’08, Paula Prouty ’85, Red Hill Plantation, RichmondFreePress, Larry Robertson ’90, Ashley Seiders ’25, Lisa Elbon Skinner ’87, Mary Jo Stockton, University of Richmond Athletics, UVA Press
Advisory Board
Wade Edwards, Larissa Smith, Courtney Hodges, Victoria Kindon, David Locascio, Justin Pope Board of Visitors
Ronald O. White, Rector Midlothian, Virginia
Jeffrey Nottingham, Vice Rector Raleigh, North Carolina
David Rose Richmond, Virginia
Kathleen Early ’92 Richmond, Virginia
Ian Bradley Falls Church, Virginia
Vellie Dietrich-Hall Charlotte Court House, Virginia
Charles Fagan ’87 Manakin-Sabot, Virginia
Carman A. Faison ’04 South Prince George, Virginia
Jacklyn McCaleb ’02 Mechanicsville, Virginia
Dr. Michael Poliakoff Oakton, Virginia
Kristie Helmick Proctor ’04 Mechanicsville, Virginia
Kathryn Roberts ’97 South Boston, Virginia
Brian Schmalzbach Midlothian, Virginia
Editorial offices for Longwood magazine are maintained at the Office of University Marketing, Communications and Engagement, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville VA 23909. Telephone: 434-395-4944; email: cookcc@longwood.edu. Comments, letters and contributions are encouraged.
Printed on recycled stocks containing 100% postconsumer waste.
To request this magazine in alternate format (large print, braille, audio, etc.), please contact Longwood Disability Resources, 434-395-2391; TRS: 711.
Published November 2025
FROM THE PRESIDENT
This summer a friend told me something that has stuck with me: He was walking down Main Street in historic downtown Farmville and happened to meet a family traveling from Europe on a month-long tour of the U.S. They had crisscrossed the country and visited the typical tourist spots and big cities, somewhat wearily, but had been drawn to come here. They told him that of all the places they had seen, it was Farmville that truly was what they thought America would be like.
Our town is a special place. Historic, vibrant, full of personality and ideas, and growing. Alumni and friends who visit often remark how the town has taken on an even more inviting character in the years since they graduated. From boutique hotels to wonderful restaurants, outdoor recreation opportunities to clothing shops that dot Main Street, Farmville is magnetic. Some of these experiences, which doubtless many of you have shared, are collected in these pages (Page 8). If you haven’t been back to Farmville recently, I encourage you to plan a weekend soon. Farmville has much in store.
In America’s first two-college community, our students enjoy not only the joy of this place but also have special opportunities to study the experiences of others in communities across the country. Brock Experiences have been celebrated in this magazine, and this summer, students traveled to the great, vibrant city of New Orleans (Page 16) to explore civic questions that we grapple with every day back here in Virginia: How does a community define its history, and is that history a source of strength or does it impede progress? New Orleans, like Farmville, is imbued with history. Lessons from history direct our path and shape our progress, and its analysis informs our understanding of who we are.
This semester we marked a historic milestone anniversary of the founding of CHI and its cherished legacy at Longwood (Page 12). For 125 years, CHI has been keeping the spirit of this place we love strong from generation to generation. I joined the many CHI alumni who returned to Longwood this fall for a special celebration and was delighted to enjoy and share in with them the same spirit I see in students each day.
Daily headlines can make it seem as if the world is in constant upheaval. It’s important to remember that there are places like Farmville. We enjoy an enduring sense of community here—and devotion to working together to make our alma mater and our hometown a beacon of what America can be.
All my best,
W. Taylor Reveley IV President
Longwood President W. Taylor Reveley IV sings the praises of Farmville’s hometown as a special place steeped in history and community.
From honing their digging techniques to analyzing centuries-old artifacts, Longwood archaeology students got their hands dirty as archaeological field technicians at Patrick Henry’s Red Hill this past summer.
Ten Lancer undergraduates put trowels to soil for four weeks, unearthing artifacts and history at the former plantation and final resting place of Founding Father Patrick Henry, located in neighboring Charlotte County, Virginia. Red Hill hired the students to help excavate the grounds of the Double Cabins site, which originally housed enslaved people and, later, freed
In our region, there are no students coming out of any other program who have that depth of experience that ours do.’
—DR. BRIAN BATES ’92, PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
Getting Their Hands Dirty
Archaeology
students hired to
excavate former plantation of Founding Father Patrick Henry
sharecroppers on the plantation.
Working under the supervision of two full-time staff archaeologists— including their former classmate Margaret Dudley ’25, whom Red Hill hired in June 2025—the Longwood group took part in nearly every aspect of a professional dig. Among the discoveries they helped make were the specific uses of both structures— one for housing, the other likely for storage—and what life was like for those who used them.
How College Presidents Succeed
“This was a great opportunity for 10 of our students to get a really in-depth, practical experience in the field,” said Dr. Brian Bates ’92, Longwood professor of anthropology and archaeology. “In our region, there are no students coming out of any other program who have that depth of experience that ours do.”
Opportunities for Longwood students to take part in real fieldwork at excavations like Red Hill have long been a hallmark of the university’s archaeology program. Students take part in digs at the Dr. James W. Jordan Archaeology Field School and other local excavations.
“Longwood has a wonderful archaeology program because of the opportunities students have to get involved with activities and fieldwork,” said Dudley. “Opportunities like Red Hill, that students can put on their resumes to show they have the skills to go on and succeed somewhere else, are so valuable.”—Chris Cook
Virginia’s Three “TR”s
It’s a family story unique in higher education, and full, at every level, of Longwood ties.
For three generations, the Reveley family has led historically prominent institutions in Virginia: W. Taylor Reveley II at Hampden-Sydney (1963-77), W. Taylor Reveley III at William & Mary (2008-18) and Longwood’s own W. Taylor Reveley IV (since 2013).
The story—and the collected wisdom of a family that has excelled over decades in one of the hardest jobs around—attracted the attention of scholar Michael Nelson, professor of political science at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. The result is a new book, published by University of Virginia Press, titled How College Presidents Succeed: Lessons in Leadership from Three Generations of Reveleys
In the book’s introduction, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, Director of Central Intelligence and President of Texas A&M University Robert Gates describes the work as “a story of multigenerational ethical leadership, the successful overcoming of challenges and crises, and the dramatic advancing of the long-term interests of the institutions these presidents led.”
The story is rooted in archival research and more than 100 hours of interviews, enlivening the tale with the colorful and distinctive Reveley voices now familiar to generations of students and alumni.
“It was a joy to help Mike with this project, and to see how well he captured how central higher education—and Longwood— have been to my family’s story going back almost a century now,” said Longwood’s president Reveley. “It has been wonderful to hear from many friends from Longwood and all walks of life who have enjoyed it, and drew from it a dose of optimism for the future.”
The book is available for purchase directly from UVA Press, as well as from Amazon and Target.
above Archaeology students helped excavate the grounds of two historic cabins that once housed enslaved people at Red Hill Plantation. right Left to right: Savannah Hall ’25, Jacob Brooks ’26, Hannah Gordon ’27 and Lily Boysworth ’25 were part of the 10-person team of field technicians.
Michael Nelson foreword by robert m gates , afterword by james a baker
SEE LONGWOOD’S STUDENTS IN ACTION AT RED HILL AT WWW. LONGWOOD.EDU
Red Hill Plantation
Carrying On A Legacy
Personal journey defines 10th Moton Legacy Scholarship winner
Longwood announced the 10th anniversary winner of the Moton Legacy Scholarship, one of the university’s highest honors—and the recipient whose journey has been the most remarkable yet.
In the summer of 2021, Somaya Ahmadi ’26 and her family were in Kabul, Afghanistan, preparing to flee the country as it was falling into the hands of the Taliban. Having just started college, Ahmadi held little hope of continuing her education in her homeland, which was once again poised to shut down virtually all avenues for women who wanted to pursue an education.
After working their way through complex immigration paperwork to secure permission for the whole family to establish legal status in the United States, Ahmadi and her family reached Farmville where they reunited with her aunt, Kobra, a graduate of nearby Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. From there, Ahmadi began another journey that now has her on a path to become one of Longwood’s outstanding members of the Class of 2026.
Just over four years since she came to America as a refugee, Ahmadi is on track to graduate from Longwood with a degree in computer science. She has also fully immersed herself in the Longwood community, including an eye-opening visit to the Moton Museum, where she found similarities between the struggles of the 1951 student strikers and those she and her family experienced in Afghanistan.
“When I came to Farmville, I heard a lot about the strike, about Barbara Johns, but when I took a sociology of education class at Longwood, it helped me go deep into it,” she said. “It was something I had always felt. It helped me to truly understand injustice in education. It existed in Farmville, and it still exists. It’s what girls are experiencing in Kabul.”
As the latest recipient of Longwood’s Moton Legacy Scholarship, Ahmadi joins a noteworthy list of former students who have become teachers and public servants, and who are pushing higher education forward—all making a difference in their world following the example of Barbara Johns. The award covers any remaining tuition costs for a graduating student who has demonstrated a commitment to the cause of equality of educational opportunity.
Spinning Wheels
Freshman excels on world stage
of artistic roller skating
LWhen I put my skates on or walk into the rink, it’s kind of like my outlet, my safe space, where I can just let go of everything and do what I love and not have a care in the world.’
—MADDIE GRAY ’29
ongwood freshman Maddie Gray ’29 had a welcome interruption in her first semester of college. A decorated artistic roller skater, the Midlothian native moved into her freshman residence hall in August and one month later was on a flight to Buenos Aires to represent Team USA at the 2025 Artistic Skating Figures World Cup. She made sure it was worth the trip. Gray was Team USA’s top finisher in the junior ladies division at the international competition, placing seventh in the 19-skater field. That was one of two international roller-skating events she participated in this fall prior to heading to Beijing in October for the 2025 Artistic Skating World Championships.
Representing Team USA has been a lifelong dream for Gray, a biology major with a concentration in premed. She trained six days a week in preparation for the international com petitions and traveled to her home rink for three of those.
“What I love most about roller-skating is the freedom and the discipline that I get from it,” she said. “When I put my skates on or walk into the rink, it’s kind of like my outlet, my safe space, where I can just let go of everything and do what I love and not have a care in the world.”
Moton Legacy Scholarship recipient Somaya Ahmadi ’26 (left) displays her cap at Longwood’s 2025 convocation ceremony.
Stepping Up Their Game
New donor-funded Pomp Sports Performance Center elevates Division I Athletics Department
Made possible by a donation from Bradley ’92 and Shannon Nunnelly ’93 Pomp, the Pomp Sports Performance Center for Longwood’s Division I athletics programs officially opened its doors in September.
Located in Iler Hall, the training facility boasts state-of-the-art equipment, facility upgrades, and custom signage and decor that elevate Longwood’s primary training home to the upper tier of its Division I peers.
also endowed the Pomp Family Citizen Leader Scholarship and are ongoing supporters of the Cormier Honors College, providing funding for the college’s annual leadership retreat.
We talk frequently about matching the visions we have as a university with donor interests, and this is a clear example of that.’
“The Pomp Sports Performance Center stands as a testament to the enduring bond between Brad and Shannon Pomp and their alma mater, Longwood University,” said Longwood Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Tim Hall. “We talk frequently about matching the visions we have as a university with donor interests, and this is a clear example of that.”
The fully donor-funded project is the latest example of the longstanding philanthropic support the Pomps have shown their alma mater. The couple
—TIM HALL
“Over the years, we’ve had the good fortune to give back to Longwood in places that have been exciting for us,’ said Brad Pomp. “Trey Eggleston and Tim Hall came to us with a vision about this space and asked us to participate and be part of this. Ultimately we couldn’t be more excited about where this space is and how it reinforces the commitment that Longwood is making to student-athletes here today and beyond.”
The Pomps were both members of the Student Government Association and Longwood Ambassadors as undergraduates and heavily involved in numerous sectors of campus life. Brad was also a founding member of Princeps, while Shannon laid the groundwork for a decorated career as an educator in the Seminole County Public Schools system in Florida.— Chris Cook
Joined by Longwood student-athletes, faculty, staff and administrators, Bradley ’92 and Shannon ’93 Pomp celebrated the dedication of the Pomp Sports Performance Center. The facility now boasts state-of-the-art training equipment for Longwood’s Division I athletics programs.
2025 Athletics Hall of Fame Class Announced
With a list featuring AllAmericans, record-holders and championship studentathletes, Longwood announced its 2025 Athletics Hall of Fame class in October.
Representing six different programs, Scott Abell ’92 (baseball), Megan Baltzell ’15 (softball), Colin Ducharme ’01 (men’s basketball), Nikki Hall-Atkinson ’97 (women’s basketball), Adam Webb ’10 (men’s golf) and the 1975 field hockey team were elected by the Hall of Fame committee as the ninth Hall of Fame class in school history.
For more information about the inductees and the upcoming induction ceremony, visit www.LongwoodLancers.com.
Longwood’s 2025 Hall of Fame Class (clockwise from top left): Scott Abell ’92, Megan Baltzell ’15, Nikki Hall-Atkinson ’97, Adam Webb ’10, the 1975 field hockey team and Colin Ducharme ’01.
NEW COACH,
Longtime Longwood assistant steps into head role of powerhouse men’s basketball program
SAME STANDARD
Men’s basketball head coach Ronnie Thomas may be new to the Lancers’ head coaching role, but he’s no stranger to the brand of Longwood basketball that has won two Big South Championships over the past four years.
A familiar face around campus since joining former Longwood head coach Griff Aldrich’s staff in 2020, Thomas was elevated to the driver’s seat of the Lancer program this past March after Aldrich departed for the University of Virginia. A native of Roanoke, Thomas’ promotion follows
A key piece of Longwood’s two Big South Championship teams, Ronnie Thomas steps into the head coach role for Longwood men’s basketball.
five impactful seasons in which he helped the Lancers reach the NCAA Tournament in 2022 and 2024—the program’s first March Madness appearances at the Division I level—and built Longwood into a premier mid-major program.
Now in the first head coaching role of his 11-year career, Thomas leads Longwood into a 2025-26 season that includes multiple marquee matchups in the Joan Perry Brock Center and the pursuit of another Big South title.
What has the transition been like since you were named head coach?
Well, any time you want to be something, you shouldn’t wait until you get there. You should try to act and go about your business as if you were already where you want to be. At the same time, you need a leader who will put you in positions to do that. I’ve been blessed to coach for Griff and [Longwood associate head coach] Tom Palombo at two different schools where I’ve had so much responsibility and ownership of those programs. They’ve made me think like a head coach for pretty much my entire career.
lot of similarities and a similar style. We’re always going to be really big on executing, having relentless effort, competing at a very high level and being very disciplined and focused on the details. We have a system that won the Big South not once, but twice, so we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We’re going to put our heads down, get to work and try to get another one, just like we always have.
You’re one of the few college basketball coaches who opts for a bowtie on gameday. When did that become part of your wardrobe?
Eleven years into your coaching career, what kind of coach do you strive to be?
The first and biggest thing is being yourself. Even being a head coach, not much has changed. The weight of your decisions changes, obviously, but who you are can’t change.
For me, I’m very intense and competitive but also, more than anything, loving and caring. I love and care for the guys, and it all starts with the relationships you build before you even take the court. You have to understand how each player receives love, how they receive coaching, how they respond and what makes them tick. Sometimes that means loving
and putting my arm around them, and sometimes that means giving them a metaphorical kick in the backside. My job is to love them the way they need so they can be the best version of themselves any given day.
You and your wife, Brittany, have lived in Farmville for more than five years now, and you recently welcomed your first daughter. What’s your experience been like living and raising your family here?
Farmville is an amazing place to live, not just because of all the things going on in town, but because it’s such a close community. It builds very strong relationships. There’s a lot of fellowship here, a lot of support for the team and a lot of support for my family. Coming in, we never thought we would love Farmville as much as we do. I think that’s common with a lot of people because there’s no way to really understand how great it is until you’re here. Once you’re embedded within the community, once you feel those connections, it’s such a great place to be.
What do you believe you’ll be able to carry over from your time as an assistant coach at Longwood to now being in the head role?
I think Longwood basketball has a DNA, and I’ve been embedded in that. The way Griff saw basketball and the way I see basketball are pretty similar. In terms of how we play, you’ll see a
Back in college when I was student-teaching, everyone was wearing ties. So I said, ‘Why don’t I wear a bowtie?’ I just carried it forward to coaching. You could also say it makes me more aerodynamic since it doesn’t get in my way like a tie would. I own a little more than 60 bowties. And I don’t have a “lucky bowtie” or anything because I believe that you create your own luck, but I do have a favorite that I’ve worn in three of the four conference championships I’ve been a part of.
What’s the secret to tying a good bowtie?
Not buying a pre-tied bowtie. If you don’t tie your own, it’s not real.
A recognizable face around campus, Thomas has endeared himself to the Longwood community since joining the program in 2020.
As director of recruiting and program development, as well as assistant coach, Thomas helped the Lancers advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2022 and 2024.
Thomas and his wife, Brittany, are both former student-athletes and recently welcomed their first child.
Farmville DESTINATION
The evolution of America’s oldest two-college town
BY CHRIS COOK
Farmville may be America’s oldest two-college town, but Lancer alumni are discovering that their old stomping ground has much more to offer than it did in their days on campus—no matter how long ago that was.
Now home to a diverse dining scene, attractions for outdoor enthusiasts and art aficionados, and a bustling shopping district—as well as many recognizable favorites from the past—Longwood’s historic hometown is in the midst of a carefully curated evolution. The changes have taken long-overdue visitors by surprise, inspired others to make annual homecoming trips and even enticed some to make a full-time move back to their old college town.
And while the attractions may be more plentiful, the dining options more tempting and the nightlife more diverse than in years past, Farmville’s small-town charm remains—making Longwood’s hometown a destination worth revisiting.
Company (left, bottom
Farmville’s attractions
FROM THE COAST TO THE HEART OF VIRGINIA:
Julie Wiley Ramsey ’93
After graduation, Julie Wiley Ramsey ’93 settled in Virginia Beach, where she began her career as a middle-school teacher and administrator. On Virginia’s coast, she and her husband had everything they needed—well, almost everything.
“I always wanted to end up in Farmville,” she said. “I loved what I was doing [in Virginia Beach], but I knew [Farmville] was a place we wanted to move to eventually. I love that people are taking the old places and bringing them up-to-date so that [Farmville] still has that old-town flair and charm, but it’s updated.”
Despite living hours away, Farmville’s pull turned Ramsey and her husband into frequent visitors. Shortly after their daughter, Madison Levine ’22, graduated, Longwood hired Ramsey as director of fraternity and sorority life, initiating their jump to full-time residents. They recently bought a historic home on High Street—a short walk from campus—that they’re in the process of renovating.
“I’m a proud ‘townie’ now,” Ramsey said. “My husband and I were looking at The Farmville Herald, and I joked with him that this is where his obituary will be.”
REDISCOVERING FARMVILLE IN RETIREMENT:
The Critzers—Scott ’81 and Debbie ’82
Ramsey is among a group of longtime Lancers who recently made a later-inlife return to Farmville. Joining the group in that homecoming are Scott ’81 and Debbie ’82 Critzer, who retired to town following nearly 40 years as successful business owners.
“There’s as much to do as you want, but it’s not the large city with all the traffic,” said Scott Critzer, who ran his commercial insurance business, Gaines & Critzer LTD, in Midlothian.
After handing over most of the business operations to their son, the Critzers bought a home just minutes from Longwood’s campus—close enough for a bike ride to Brock Commons and then an afternoon stroll down Main Street. Since the move, the two make frequent walks and bike rides downtown and on the High Bridge Trail—which opened as a state park in 2008—while also pursuing a newfound interest in Farmville’s booming arts and entertainment scene.
“It’s more diverse now. There’s much more culture going on, and that’s something that I didn’t really partake in when I was running the business full time,” Scott Critzer said. “And so now that I have the time, I’m starting to enjoy the arts more. We go to music programs, we go to the theater, we go to Longwood athletic events, and we go to Farmville First Fridays. There’s just always something to do. It still has the small-town vibe, but there’s a lot of activity.”
Julie Wiley Ramsey ’93 (second from right, pictured with classmates during an alumni event) describes herself as a ‘proud townie’ after moving back to Farmville from Virginia Beach in 2022.
Located in the heart of Downtown Farmville, One19 is one of many locally owned, upscale restaurants within walking distance of Longwood’s campus.
A SURPRISING HOMECOMING: Keisha Stephens ’08
Whether during a formal alumni event like homecoming or a random, picturesque weekend, alumni like Scott ’81 and Debbie ‘82 Critzer (top left) and Keisha Stephens ’08 (top right) have found Farmville worth the trip, or even a full-time move.
Farmville’s evolution, notes Keisha Stephens ’08, is likely to take Lancers who haven’t visited recently by surprise. Stephens experienced that shock herself during a recent getaway with her husband, which brought her back to Farmville for the first time in 15 years.
“I was showing my husband around, and I kept saying, ‘There are all these restaurants and hotels. They have a rooftop bar. There’s a brewery,’” she said. “I sounded like one of those old heads who would always come back and say, ‘We didn’t have this when I was here.’ I guess I’m one of them now.”
Similar “back in my day” comparisons are commonplace for Lancers who have not visited their one-time home in recent years. But even as Farmville has evolved, Stephens still felt the underlying intimacy that has long defined Longwood’s hometown.
“I knew some things on campus had changed, but even though there are a lot of things on campus and in town that have been upgraded, it definitely feels like the old Longwood,” Stephens said. “Of course I’m a little jealous about a couple things.”
She won’t be alone in her jealousy long, though. So struck by her visit, Stephens is already planning a return “girls trip” with her fellow Lancer alumnae.
A FRONT-ROW SEAT TO PROGRESS: Kathy Hansen Fox ’85
While Stephens’ long-overdue homecoming trip provided an eye-opening look at how Farmville has grown, others, including Kathy Hansen Fox ’85, have had frontrow seats to the town’s transformation for decades.
A resident of nearby Chesterfield with her husband, Fox has made frequent return trips since graduation: first as a young alum; then as a Lancer parent of her two youngest children, Christian Fox ’17 and Reilly Fox Paz ’20; and now as president of the Longwood Alumni Board of Directors and a dedicated basketball season ticket holder.
“I’m probably back in Farmville five times a month, on average,” Fox said. “Sometimes it’s basketball or for the alumni board. Sometimes I just go because there’s something I want to do or somebody I want to meet for lunch.”
Fox still frequents old favorites like Pino’s and Walker’s Diner, but just as Farmville has evolved, so, too, have her itineraries. For alumni returning to town after a long hiatus, she says they likely won’t be able to see everything new the town has to offer in a single trip.
As an alumna and two-time Longwood
“I came back for an alumni event [in September 2025], and there were so many people who had not been back on campus at all,” she said. “There was a group of older alums, and it was funny to watch their expressions walking around campus and even downtown. They were stunned. You try to tell people about all the places, but you really have to see it.”
parent, Kathy Hansen Fox ’85 (back row, second from left), has long made Farmville a getaway destination with friends, family and fellow Lancers.
years later, the SPIRIT OF WALKS ON 125 CHI
On October 15, 2025, Longwood’s oldest secret society celebrated its 125th year of existence.
BY CHRIS COOK
In recognition of the 125th anniversary of the institution’s oldest secret society, Longwood hosted representatives of CHI’s past and present for a campus-wide celebration in September.
Dating back to the turn of the 20th century, CHI has long been interwoven into the fabric of the university and remains an endearing part of the Longwood experience. While its membership remains selective and secretive, the group’s influence on campus culture, traditions and values is undeniable.
And while CHI has evolved in purpose, actions and impact since its founding, it remains one of the university’s oldest traditions and a common bridge-builder for all who have spent time on Longwood’s campus.
Ever present, always watching and a steward of the uniquely collaborative spirit of Longwood, the spirit of CHI walks on.
After revealing her identity to the Longwood student body, CHI representative Destiny Brown ’22 looks on during the annual CHI Burning.
What is CHI?
At its most basic level, CHI is a student organization. What sets CHI apart, however, lies in its campus-focused mission, longevity, and unwavering commitment to humility and secrecy.
Founded in 1900 at a time when a number of student-led secret societies began popping up on campuses across the nation, CHI initially formed as a panhellenic council comprising representatives from the college’s three sororities. However, the organization soon evolved into a secret society whose purpose was to inspire and uphold academic integrity, social values and traditions on campus.
As CHI grew in size and influence in the early 20th century,
‘We must remember as society changes, so do colleges and organizations. It is because of these changes, CHI has endured.’
— excerpt from CHI’s 100th anniversary celebration speech (2000)
it adopted many traditions that remain today: robes that hid the identities of its representatives; the iconic ‘X’ symbol (the letter “chi” in Greek alphabet); and organized “CHI Walks” through campus to remind the student body of its presence.
More than a century later, CHI remains a study in both tradition and evolution. It has tightly held to many of its early pillars and mission, while at the same time adapting its activities and role on Longwood’s campus. Today CHI’s purpose is clear: to foster and encourage the collaborative spirit of Longwood and to be an ever-present beacon of the tightknit community that has long defined the university.
‘An ideal always sought after but never obtained’
Throughout CHI’s 125-year history, the central thread that has tied together all of its iterations is the spirit of CHI. At times misunderstood, the spirit of CHI can best be described as the underlying sense of community, collaboration and camaraderie that exists on Longwood’s campus.
In that sense, the spirit of CHI is more broadly something CHI’s representatives do not claim as solely their own. Instead, representatives of the organization embrace their responsibility to keep that spirit alive through works, traditions and commendations of those within the Longwood community who exemplify and steward that spirit.
‘CHI is an IDEA—never reached—but always reached for. So erase from your mind the personification of the idea, and look instead to your own soul! YOU are the spark ... YOU are the flame ... You are the CHI that Longwood respects!’
— unnamed member of CHI, excerpt from The Rotunda (1981)
For 125 years, students have fulfilled CHI’s longstanding mission of encouraging a spirit of collaboration and community at Longwood. And while the identities of its representatives are a well-guarded secret, CHI’s impact is evident throughout campus.
above The CHI Fountain, built in 2004 and located on Brock Commons, bears the phrase, ‘CHI, founded in 1900, is an ideal always sought after but never obtained. It is the spirit found in the hearts and minds of those who seek its real purpose. Loyalty - Character - Respect - Challenge - Responsibility’
right Literally reaching for CHI, a Longwood student tries to touch a CHI banner. For decades, the organization has hung banners around campus in support of specific events. (1973 Virginian)
An organization of commendation
CHI is an organization of commendation, vigilant in its quest to recognize and amplify the actions of others who serve the spirit of CHI. Anonymity allows representatives to quietly observe campus and take note of individuals and groups that represent that spirit.
“Burning is the most effective way to draw attention to those being commended. A list could be printed, but no one would bother to read it the way they would attend a burning.”
— unnamed member of CHI, excerpt from The Rotunda (1981)
CHI recognizes those individuals and groups in the form of CHI commendations announced at the annual CHI Burning each spring. One at a time, in front of a crowd of spectators who ring a carefully constructed bonfire, representatives of CHI shout the name of an individual or campus organization they deem worthy of commendation. Those named are later awarded a jar of ashes—taken from the remnants of that year’s bonfire—with a label detailing their specific contributions to campus. Prized possessions, CHI commendations decorate the offices of many Longwood faculty and staff, as well as the desks and shelves of Lancers who have gone on to careers and lives away from campus.
left CHI representative Emma
below People and organizations honored with CHI commendations receive a bottle filled with ashes from CHI Burning and affixed with a label noting their contributions to the Longwood community.
after its founding as
Longwood’s best-kept secret
The question of “Who is in CHI?” is nearly as old as the organization itself. It is a difficult one to answer, not because of how closely representatives guard their identities (though they are quite devout in their secrecy), but because of the secret society’s core tenet that, paradoxically, CHI is not the individuals who compose it.
As noted in an uncredited excerpt from the 1973 Virginian, “CHI is an organization composed of individual members, but the individuals are NOT CHI. CHI is an ideal spirit which could never exist in only one person.”
And while CHI tradition dictates that senior representatives reveal themselves at their final CHI Burning, even today many CHI alumni are reluctant to identify themselves publicly as representatives of the organization. According to one, who wished to remain unnamed, “It is hard to explain. I never thought that I was in a secret society… but I consider myself so lucky to have been a representative of the spirit that truly makes Longwood so unique.”
‘We know that many have wondered who we were. It was through the secrecy of the organization that we were able to accomplish our purposes most effectively.’
— excerpt from CHI page, The Virginian (1948)
Boeckle ’25 throws a “ghostie” into the bonfire at CHI Burning to recognize a Longwood person who received a CHI Commendation.
Shortly
a panhellenic organization, CHI began to keep secret the identities of its members. In its modern incarnation, graduating representatives of CHI reveal themselves to the student body at the annual CHI Burning.
Leaving a mark on campus
The winding walkways of Longwood’s campus are dotted with the symbol of CHI: a blue rotunda made of four vertical pillars, one horizontal bar, a triangle and a rounded dome. Each shape has a specific meaning, and together they represent values inherent to CHI.
• Four pillars: Loyalty, character, respect and challenge
• Horizontal bar: Responsibility
• Triangle: CHI’s purpose—to promote and maintain a spirit of cooperation among students in every phase of college life
• Dome: Longwood’s student body, “a tie that binds each of us together to represent one”
As tradition states that stepping on a rotunda brings bad luck, students still actively veer around the symbols to this day.
‘The last and most important part of the symbol is the dome, which symbolizes the ties that bind each of us together to represent one— the student body.’
— excerpt from CHI’s 100th anniversary celebration speech (2000)
Reminders of CHI’s ever-watchful presence
There are no Longwood CHI T-shirts for sale in the bookstore, no bumper stickers flaunting membership or fandom. Instead, CHI gives away its keepsakes for free—so long as students are willing to work to find them.
Throughout the academic year, members of CHI discreetly place handmade trinkets around campus for lucky students to find. Marked with the distinctive CHI X or rotunda, items
‘Without spirit, CHI would have no reason for being. Realizing that the spirit depends on each student, CHI strives to kindle the flame and keep it burning in the hearts of all.’
— excerpt from The Rotunda (1988)
range from pieces of fabric to small toys and can be found on quads, in trees or even within plain view near walkways. If found, students keep the “droppings” until graduation when they then pass them down to an underclassman. The simple gesture of gifting a prized and coveted dropping to a fellow Lancer is yet another example of the spirit of cooperation and camaraderie that CHI seeks to foster.
ongoing scavenger hunts around campus, CHI hides decorated objects and trinkets around campus for Longwood students to find. CHI Droppings are meant to remain on campus, passed down from graduating students to underclassmen.
Inspiring
The “Blue Rotunda” is the symbol of CHI and appears in many locations around campus as reminders of the organization’s everwatchful presence.
EXPERIE NCES: BROCK
New Orleans
Introducing the newest addition to Longwood’s signature studyaway program
Born from Longwood’s groundbreaking LU@Yellowstone National Park program and funded by gifts from Joan Perry Brock ’64 totaling more than $10 million, Longwood’s Brock Experiences are signature, Civitae-aligned programs that annually expose hundreds of students to the university’s unique brand of destination-based experiential learning and civic education.
The newest addition to the program is New Orleans, where students explore the complicated legacy of the historic city and attempt to answer the civic question, “Does building toward the future require a community to embrace or forget its past?”
On St. Ann Street, Madison Branch ’26, a music education major, got a crash course from a street musician on how to play the lap harp. Immersion in the city’s historic music scene was a key part of the Brock Experience in New Orleans.
EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER
With programs throughout the United States, Brock Experiences are designed to immerse students in a variety of locations to explore complex, contentious civic issues and the spectrum of perspectives and experiences that surround them. Through conversations with people impacted by the issues at hand, academic research and rigorous reflection, students not only learn about the history and impact of those issues, they develop civic skills they can apply to issues in their own communities now and in the future.
• Alaska (LU@AK)
• Arizona
• Boston
• Charleston
• Chesapeake Bay (LU@CBay)
• Colorado River
• New Orleans
• San Francisco
• Yellowstone National Park (LU@YNP)
For more information on Brock Experiences, visit Longwood.edu/Brock.
Reflection is a foundational component of Brock Experiences. Students and accompanying faculty—including Dr. Greg Mole, right—discussed what they saw and learned daily, sharing their perspectives through conversation and writing.
During the 10-day program, students explored various sections of New Orleans. Experiencing the diverse city at street level provided deeper context to what students learned about the city during their pre-departure stage.
New Orleans
SUMMER 2025
Destination: New Orleans, Louisiana
Civic Question: Does building toward the future require a community to embrace or to forget its past?
Debut: 2025
Faculty lead: Dr. Gregory Mole, assistant professor of history
Attending faculty & staff:
• Dr. Ravi Sankar, assistant professor of environmental science and geography
• Cainan Townsend ’15, executive director of Moton Museum
• Dr. Harper Xing, assistant professor of accounting
• Dr. Mike Waddell, assistant professor of music
• Rev. Josh Blakely, director of Brock Transformative Learning Programs
You’d
be hardpressed to find an American city that is more tied up in productions of its past. New Orleans commodifies its past and sells it to tourists, and it’s a place where the past is almost inescapable.’
— DR. GREGORY MOLE, LONGWOOD ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY
The New Orleans Jazz Museum spotlights the history of jazz and how the musical genre is interwoven in New Orleans’ past and present.
During their travels, students encountered numerous museums, artwork and monuments detailing the history of New Orleans—from jazz to slavery, Mardi Gras, voodoo and more.
One of the oldest cathedrals in continuous use in the United States, the St. Louis Cathedral was part of the New Orleans experience’s focus on communities within a community.
A Walk to Remember
In recognition of the 125th anniversary of CHI, Longwood’s oldest secret society, alumni of the organization returned to campus in September for a weekend-long celebration. Included in those events was a Greenwood Library exhibit about CHI’s history, including the 125 Icons that Changed Longwood, shown here. (Page 25)
1940s
Mary Louise Stoutamire
’40, Longwood’s oldest living alumna, died Aug. 18, 2025. She was 107 years old. From Salem, Virginia, Stoutamire was an elementary education major and an honor roll student at Longwood. She enjoyed a diverse career that included time in elementary education and banking, and several decades with Roanoke College’s Fintel Library. Also a member of Longwood’s Choral Club and Gamma Psi art honor society, she was an active singer in her church choir and, in retirement, pursued her passion for the arts as a painter.
1960s
Candice “Candy” Jamison Dowdy ’69 received Longwood’s 2025 Page Cook Axson McGaughy Lifetime Loyalty Award. The recognition is for alumni volunteer service to the university through active participation in alumni or university affairs, faithful and continued support in expanding the influence and prestige of Longwood University, and a history of philanthropic giving to Longwood. With a B.S. in home economics, Dowdy’s career includes time in Longwood’s admissions and advancement offices, as well as a lengthy stint as Hampden-Sydney College’s director of constituent relations. A Farmville native since graduating from Longwood, she has served on the Longwood Foundation Board of Directors and the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) board, and as an advisor to her sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha. She and her husband, Chuck, are founding members of the Built to Win Partners for Longwood Men’s Basketball initiative, endowed the Candice “Candy” Jamidson Dowdy ’69 Scholarship and are also financial supporters of the Longwood LCVA.
(continued on Page 22)
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The Long Walk. Six Longwood alumni gathered to participate in the international Coldest Night of the Year 5K event held annually in sites throughout the United States. Karen Elbon Wandling ’91 (left), Kimberly Elbon Bissett ’92, Lisa Elbon Skinner ’87, Jeffrey Kent ’98, Kristine Meaney Jessup ’88 and Nicole Petraitis Kent ’01 were among more than 800 participants in the 3.1-mile walk in Fredericksburg, Virginia, which raised more than $200,000 for local charity Micah Ministries.
Lisa Elbon Skinner
Forging Her Own Path
Alumna thriving in career as higher-ed fundraiser
Like many incoming students, Katherine Bulifant ’13, M.S. ’14 believed that choosing a major also meant choosing a linear, predictable pathway toward a related profession.
So when she enrolled at Longwood to study criminal justice, she figured a career in law enforcement was a given.
“I had wanted to be a federal law enforcement officer since I was 5,” she said.
But during her time as a Longwood student, immersion in various sectors of campus life opened her eyes to new possibilities. Professional opportunities as an undergraduate planted seeds of different career paths, and connections with various faculty and staff-turned-mentors became instrumental in leading her toward a previously unconsidered profession—one in which she is thriving.
In July, just over a decade after she earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and master’s in sociology from Longwood, Bulifant was promoted to associate athletics director at the University of Richmond, elevating her to the upper administrative tier of the school’s Division I athletics department.
The hard-earned promotion represented yet another rung on the professional ladder Bulifant began climbing as a
student worker in Longwood’s Office of Institutional Advancement—even if she didn’t know at the time where that opportunity would eventually lead.
“When I graduated with my master’s degree, I had gotten married and had my son,” she said, recalling the first few months post-graduation from her Longwood master’s program. “I was staying at home with him—we were living in Farmville—and I wasn’t sure when I was going to start my career.”
Then the phone rang. It was Courtney Hodges, Longwood’s vice president for institutional advancement, who had just found herself short of a critical staff member. Hodges, one of the aforementioned staff-mentors Bulifant encountered as a student worker in the advancement office, remembered Bulifant’s performance, work ethic and friendly demeanor and offered her a job on an emergency basis.
“I was a little hesitant, but I joined the team specifically to recruit, hire and train all of the phonathon callers,” Bulifant said. “It turned out that I really enjoyed the relationship-building aspect of the job and watching the students connect with the alumni or parents or donors they were calling at night.”
Within four months of starting that temporary position, Bulifant joined
Longwood’s fundraising team full time as director of campus philanthropy. She stayed at Longwood for five years, rising through the ranks to lead the annual giving effort, including her work as part of the team that launched Love Your Longwood Day, now an annual day of giving, in 2016. It was official: Fundraising was Bulifant’s true calling.
Now 15 years into her career, Bulifant has coordinated numerous capital campaigns and raised millions of dollars for educational institutions, both K-12 and higher ed—including her alma mater. And while a family move to Richmond pulled her away from Longwood, she continued on her newfound career trajectory, overseeing the annual fund of the Collegiate School before joining Richmond’s athletics department, where she now directs the school’s athletics development efforts.
Through it all, she has consistently relied on a critical skill she learned at Longwood and honed through opportunities both in and out of the classroom.
“Longwood opened the door to my learning how to network,” Bulifant said. “I still tell people, if there’s a way that I can help you, please reach out.”
She also tells people they should practice what she preaches.
“I tell people to say ‘yes’ to everything. Even if you find out you don’t like it, that’s OK. You can cross it off your list and move on.
Longwood opened the door to my learning how to network… Networking is how I’ve gotten every single job in my career.’
— KATHERINE BUFFEY BULIFANT ’13, M.S. ’14
“The big takeaway from Longwood was to be open and talk to as many people as possible,” Bulifant said.
“Networking is how I’ve gotten every single job in my career. ” — Sabrina Brown
Katherine Bulifant ’13, M.S. ’14 (third from left) was promoted to associate athletics director for development at University of Richmond in July.
Difference-Maker. Ginny Silveira Gills ’89, M.S. ’05 (culture and literacy), third from left, was honored with the 2025 Professional Development Award by the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals (VAESP). The award recognizes educators who significantly enhance professional development opportunities for elementary and middle school principals across the commonwealth. A retired principal, Gills has held numerous leadership positions in her career, including on the board of the Women Education Leaders in Virginia, VAESP board of directors and Virginia Department of Education’s Principal Advisory Board. She earned her Longwood B.S. in Spanish language teacher education.
1970s
Linda Robert Lewis ’74 died Dec. 21, 2024, following a life dedicated to service and advocacy for victims of domestic violence. A victim-witness specialist for the Prince Edward County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Lewis went on to found Madeline’s House, a nonprofit domestic violence shelter in Farmville that provides counseling, crisis intervention, accompaniment and more to local women. Madeline’s House received a contribution of nearly $1 million from the United States Congress in September 2024, months before Lewis’ passing. Lewis majored in health and physical education at Longwood.
Clare Baxter ’77 retired from her position as a ticket office assistant for the Princeton University Athletics Department. After earning her B.A. in speech and visual performing arts at Longwood, she also spent 13 years working for the United States Tennis Association and nine for Town Topics newspaper.
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1980s
Penelope Mottley Smelcer ’81 retired after a 43-year teaching career. She was a double major in education and English at Longwood.
Elizabeth Stanton Kostelny ’81 received Longwood’s 2025 Distinguished Professional Achievement Alumni Award. The recognition goes to an alumnus or alumna who has distinguished themselves as a significant contributor to their profession, who stands above their peers and who is recognized within their profession as a role model for future generations of citizen leaders. Kostelny spent 25 years on the staff of Preservation Virginia, where she has helped the organization plan and execute the large-scale excavation of James Fort at Historic Jamestowne. An art education major at Longwood, she was named CEO of Preservation Virginia in 2001 and held that post until she retired in 2024.
The Farmville Herald
Carlton Gurley ’83 received recognition from the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors for lifelong service to the county and country. The board cited Carlton’s leadership of the county’s Community Criminal Justice Board and 45 years on the Mecklenburg County Highway Safety Commission. Gurley, who retired from his posts in 2024, spent 34 years teaching driver’s education in the Mecklenburg County Public School system and served on many community boards and initiatives, including the Southside Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, Virginia Commercial Driver-Training School Board and American Legion Post 43. A history major at Longwood, he also served in the U.S. Army and Army reserves during the Vietnam War.
Do you know a Longwood alum who deserves to be recognized for their good works? Nominate them for an Alumni Award at go.longwood.edu/ alumniawards
Rohn Brown ’84 recently completed the Web Development Career Studies Certificate from Reynolds Community College in Richmond. The 28-credit hour program teaches students how to code using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery and other related languages. For their capstone project, Brown’s team developed a website and database for professional and major college baseball scouts seeking information on small college baseball players in Virginia. While this site was for a fictitious company, Brown will use these skills to design a website and grow his brand and Longwood athletics-related podcast, Lancers Past. Brown was a business major at Longwood and, since his days as a student worker for the sports information department, has been a longtime supporter of Longwood athletics.
Holli Hudson Rutledge ’86 shared the following reflections about her Longwood roommate, Vickie Hopkins Coates ’86, who died recently, and their decades-long friendship: “Vickie and I were of the class of 1986, and we roomed together. We were social work majors…. We traveled and created many wonderful memories together. In her latter days, we spent much time reflecting on our days at Longwood. We even reconnected with old suitemates and others that lived on our hall in Frazer. Vickie fought ovarian cancer for almost six years. During her fight, I gave her a Joan of Arc pendant necklace. During my last visit with her, she returned the necklace to me, and I wear it proudly every day.”
Lancers on Ice. Five Lancer alumni bundled up and hit the slopes at Whistler Blackcomb in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, in February. Pictured are (from left) Tom Armstrong ’15, Wes Hyslop ’15, Jayme Gagne Hyslop ’16, Franchesca Soliven Branch ’15 and Ryan Branch ’15 made the trip and took a brief break from snowmobiles and ski slopes to pose with a Lancer scarf.
Wes Hyslop
Alumna is a driving force in elementary education
Caitlin Brennan Spruill ’12, M.S. ’13 (special education), was named Outstanding Young Educator of the Year by the North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The award honors educators under 40 who demonstrate exemplary commitment and exceptional contributions to education. The director of elementary education at Dare County Schools in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Spruill has been the driving force behind numerous initiatives in the division. Among those are the implementation of teacher and learning facilitator positions in K-8 schools and a comprehensive Literacy Intervention Plan, facilitation of faculty and staff professional development, and enhancing curricula resources and instructional materials. Spruill majored in liberal studies (special education) as an undergraduate at Longwood.
LONGWOOD’S 1 HOUR
A MONTH program is a volunteer experience designed for alumni and friends. You’ll be rewarded with exclusive Longwood swag depending on your level of participation. Find out more at go.longwood. edu/1hour.
Michele Sims-Gannon ’90 was honored with Longwood’s 2025 Humanitarian Alumni Award. The honor goes to alumni who, through their outstanding involvement and commitment, have enriched the lives of others and improved the welfare of their communities. Sims-Gannon founded a nonprofit organization that provides a safe, healing space for women fighting cancer. Known as Mary’s Place by the Sea, the 10,000-square-foot facility in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, now welcomes more than 1,000 women every year. With offerings that range from oncology massage to art therapy, guided meditation and individual and group counseling, Mary’s Place raises $1.4 million annually and provides its services at no cost to participants. Sims-Gannon majored in German at Longwood.
Chris Mitchell ’91 was named head riding coach and associate professor of physical education at Washington & Lee University. A business major at Longwood, Mitchell has more than three decades of experience coaching equestrian, including at Cornell University and Randolph College.
Bradley Pomp ’92 earned Longwood’s 2025 Distinguished Citizen Leader Alumni Award, which recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves as significant contributors to their professions, who stand above their peers, and who are recognized within their professions as role models for future generations of citizen leaders. A founding member of the university’s citizen leadership-focused organization Princeps, Pomp founded Defense Litigation Group in 2002, which served major clients such as Ford, Michelin and British Petroleum. He is currently the president of Sentry Management, which has grown from 13 to 25 states under his leadership and now manages 3,500 communities nationwide. Pomp and his wife, Shannon Nunnally Pomp ’93, endowed the Pomp Family Citizen Leader scholarship
(continued on Page 26)
A Not-So-Secret Gathering.
In celebration of the 125th anniversary of CHI, Longwood’s oldest secret society, alumni representatives from 1956-2025 returned to campus in September for a weekend to dedicate the new CHI stones, recognize 125 Icons that Changed Longwood, and share memories. For the first time ever, the campus was able to see examples of CHI walks from 1930 and 1973, as well as the debut walk of CHI 2026.
Founded on October 15, 1900, as a student group, CHI has evolved into an organization of commendation whose mission is to foster and preserve the spirit of collaboration and camaraderie on Longwood’s campus.
Read more about the CHI anniversary on Page 12.
and have also funded other projects, including the recent renovation of the student-athlete training center in Iler Hall—now named Pomp Sports Performance Center. Bradley majored in political science at Longwood; Shannon earned her degree in elementary education.
Kristin Murmer Janssen ’94 was appointed executive director at the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies in Richmond. Beginning her education career as an English teacher, she went on to hold administrative roles as a gifted coordinator, assistant principal, career and technical administrator, high-school principal and director of curriculum and assessment in multiple school divisions in Virginia. She majored in English at Longwood.
A Family Affair
Alums give their new addition first campus tour
Despite sharing a major and residence halls as students, it wasn’t until after graduation at an alumni golf tournament that alumnae Kelly McAnally Brown ’10 and Heather Brown ’11 first met.
Years after that introduction, the two married, and in 2024 they welcomed their first child, Tyler—who they’re already hoping will become a Lancer.
“Tyler has many Longwood trips ahead of him, and we definitely would love if being alums is something all of us share in the future,” Kelly said. “It’s hard not to love the campus, but it’s even harder not to love the people. We hope this becomes a community he can thrive in.”
Mari Willen Hern ’95 is the vice president of information technology business services for international insurance corporation USAA. A business major, Hern joined USAA in 2019 following stints at AOL, Microsoft, Kaiser Permanente IT, AIG and Wells Fargo. Her daughter, Jordyn Hern ’29, is a freshman at Longwood and a member of the softball team.
Elizabeth Spaid Fout ’96 was named principal of Frederick County Schools’ Dowell J.
That community is one that both Heather and Kelly thrived in as undergraduates, though they did so unaware of each other’s existence until well after graduation. But Longwood’s tightknit community has a way of bringing Lancers together, and what ultimately led to their introduction was a convergence of two passions.
For Kelly, it was a love of golf, a sport she played at Longwood and one she has dedicated her career to as vice president of First Tee Greater Richmond. For Heather, meanwhile, it was her service on the College of Business and Economics’ (CBE) Alumni Advisory Board, which led to the serendipitous meeting between the two at a CBE Alumni Golf Tournament fundraiser’s registration table.
We have both remained plugged in since we graduated 15 years ago with the goal to pour into others and pay it forward in any ways we could.’
— HEATHER BROWN ’11
“Our acquaintance grew into friendship, and years later it became something more,” Heather said. “As we compared Longwood experiences, it was surprising we didn’t cross paths sooner. We were both business majors and lived in the same residence hall two of the four years we were at Longwood.”
Since that initial meeting, the two have merged not only their lives but also their passions for Longwood. In doing so, they have become a philanthropic force for many Lancer initiatives, from Longwood’s women’s athletics teams to the Longwood Alumni Board.
“We have both remained plugged in since we graduated 15 years ago with the goal to pour into others and pay it forward in any ways we could,” Heather said. “For several years that focus was around the College of Business and Economics, but it became broader when I joined the Longwood Alumni Board and saw how our support could impact other programs.”—Chris Cook
Heather (left) and Kelly (right) Brown brought their son, Tyler, back to campus for the 2024 Homecoming & Alumni Weekend.
Howard Center. The public school provides wide-ranging career and technical education programs and alternative education programs for Frederick County students. Fout has held teaching and administrative positions in the Frederick County school system for nearly three decades.
Jake Milne ’99 received Longwood’s 2025 Nancy B. Shelton Spirited Contributor Award. Given to an alumnus or alumna who is a current or retired Longwood faculty or staff member, the award recognizes excellence in service that exemplifies the university’s values of honesty, equality, civility and citizen leadership. A professor of sociology—also his ma-
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jor at Longwood—Milne joined the Longwood faculty in 2006 after completing his Ph.D. at Virginia Tech. Heavily involved on campus, he has served as an advisor for numerous student organizations and initiatives, including The Big Event and Longwood Ambassadors.
Rachel Abbott ’99 was named interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) in Americus, Georgia. Also the dean of GSW’s College of Education and an associate professor, Abbott earned her doctorate from the University of Alabama, master’s degrees from Georgia Southern University and Florida State University, and her bachelor’s in physical education from Longwood. She joined GSW as an assistant professor in 2009.
2000s
Vince Walden ’01 was named assistant coach for the men’s basketball program at Louisiana State University (LSU). A social work major and four-year basketball letterwinner at Longwood, Walden’s coaching career spans the high school and collegiate levels, including his most recent stint as an assistant coach at Texas A&M University, where he helped the Aggies reach the NCAA Tournament in each of his final three seasons.
Christy Saylor Peffer, M.S. ’04 (educational leadership and administration), was named superintendent of Mecklenburg County Pub-
lic Schools (MCPS). She is the first woman to lead the school division on a permanent basis in more than two decades. She has spent the majority of her 35 years in education with MCPS.
Catherine “Catie” Garber Bolze ’06 and her husband, Courtney, recently moved to her family farm in Keysville, Virginia. Bolze majored in community health education and was previously a senior litigation paralegal. She is looking forward to attending Longwood athletics events and Camerata Singers concerts now that she is back in the area.
Meagan Haire Abbey ’07 recently completed her fifth year as mayor of McKenney, Virginia, located in Dinwiddie County approximately 50 miles southwest of Richmond. Elected in 2020, Abbey is the town’s first female mayor and went on to win re-election in 2022 and 2024. Inspired to run for office by the challenges she encountered as an educator and business owner in the area, she owns and manages Stepping Stone Academy in addition to her duties as an elected official. She majored in liberal studies (elementary education) at Longwood.
Austin Eichelberger ’07, M.A. ’09 (English and creative writing), presented at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference in Los Angeles in March 2025. A professor of English at Santa Fe Community College and a professional writer, Eichelberger and his colleagues presented on how writing faculty can create and use open
Awards Season. Longwood presented its annual alumni awards in July, recognizing several Lancers for their achievements and service. Pictured (from left) are Cainan Townsend ’15, M.S. ’20 (Rotunda Outstanding Young Alumni Award), Michele Sims-Gannon ’90 (Humanitarian Alumni Award), Karen Mitchell Schinabeck (Honorary Alumni Award), President W. Taylor Reveley IV, Dr. Jason “Jake” Milne ’99 (Nancy B. Shelton Spirited Contributor Award), Candice “Candy” Jamison Dowdy ’69 (Page Cook Axson McGaughy Lifetime Loyalty Award) and Bradley “Brad” Pomp ’92 (Distinguished Citizen Leader Alumni Award). Not pictured is Elizabeth Stanton Kostelny ’81 (Distinguished Professional Achievement Alumni Award).
educational resources (OER) as low-cost or free options for student textbooks. Eichelberger was also interviewed after the presentation for Alyssa Milano’s podcast, Sorry Not Sorry, about the importance of OER in today’s political and academic atmosphere. The episode, titled “Writing as a Force for Good,” is available on most podcast platforms. Eichelberger’s Longwood undergraduate degree is in theatre performance.
Meagan Owen, M.S. ’07 (community health services/liaison/counseling), was named executive director of the Halifax County Public Schools (HCPS) Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing the quality of education in Halifax County through support of programs, scholarships and partnerships that benefit students, teachers and schools. She previously served as a school counselor for HCPS and a coordinator for learner success and engagement at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center.
Rebecca Jackson Powell ’08 was honored as the 2024 Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Bernard Smith Award recipient for her dedication to ensuring the delivery of safe and reliable systems to the fleet to meet urgent warfighting requirements. The award cited her outstanding leadership, technical knowledge and dedication in enabling the rapid delivery of new critical warfighting capabilities to the fleet across multiple Navy platforms. Powell serves as the NSWCDD Weapons Control & Integration (H) Department certification lead and recently spearheaded a transformative digital overhaul of the certification process. That work, alongside retiring six certified builds for the SUW MP and successful SLAMM execution, earned her the Award of Merit for Group Achievement as a member of Dahlgren Sea Land Air Missile Module team in addition to her Bernard Smith Award.
2010s
Ashley Jarrett Crute ’10 was hired as the assistant director of experiential programs and student employment at Hampden-Sydney College. A liberal studies major, Crute’s career has spanned numerous student-focused roles in higher education, including career services, scholarships and work-based learning initiatives. She and her husband, Patrick Crute ’10, live in Farmville and have three children.
LONGWOOD’S 1 HOUR
A MONTH program is a volunteer experience designed for alumni and friends. You’ll be rewarded with exclusive Longwood swag depending on your level of participation. Find out more at go.longwood. edu/1hour.
Brittany Fuller Irvin ’11 was named the 2026 Danville Public Schools Teacher of the Year. A mathematics major at Longwood and 14-year teaching veteran, Irvin teaches advanced/honors Algebra 1 and 2 at Westwood Middle School. She also serves as the chair of Westwood’s math department, the mentor teacher lead, and a teacher leader.
Cainan Townsend ’15, M.S. ’20 (counselor education), was honored with Longwood’s 2025 Rotunda Outstanding Alumni Award, which goes to an alumnus or alumna under the age of 40 who has demonstrated excellence in their career and/or in citizen leadership. Townsend’s impact on his community and beyond has taken many forms, including his role as executive director of the Robert R. Moton Museum and as an elected member
of the Prince Edward County School Board. He has also contributed to numerous statewide initiatives, including as a member of the African American Cultural Resources Task Force and the Virginia Commission on African American History Education. A lifelong Prince Edward County resident, his father was among the students locked out of Prince Edward County Schools when officials closed the schools from 1959-64 to avoid integration. Townsend majored in liberal studies as a Longwood undergraduate.
(continued on Page 31)
Tying the Knot, Lancer Style
JOHN BAPTIES ’19 and ASHLEY ELLIXSON ’21 married in October 2024. John, a health sciences major, is an exercise physiologist for Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Centers in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Ashley, a kinesiology major, is an insurance verification specialist at Fusion Rehab and Wellness in Spotsylvania, Virginia.
An A-Muse-ing Feline
Skittish cat inspires alumna to write book supporting children in foster care
Agray-and-white cat
named Foster had been the unofficial mascot of the Piedmont CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) office in Charlottesville for nearly 10 years when Longwood alumna Kari Dunnavant Joyner joined the staff in January 2025.
Everyone else at the organization, which provides one-on-one support for children in foster care, saw Foster simply as a cat—albeit a beautiful and very skittish one. But Joyner saw something more.
In her efforts to get Foster to trust her and accept being petted—a goal Joyner pursued despite years of unsuccessful attempts by other CASA staff—she realized that Foster had a lot in common with many of the children CASA was working to help.
“One day, as I was trying unsuccessfully to coax Foster closer, it hit me: This is what so many of the children we serve in foster care go through,” said Joyner ’08, M.S. ’12 (education/school library media), who is Piedmont CASA’s recruitment and training coordinator.
“Despite the compassion and consistency offered by CASAs and foster families, some kids remain understandably hesitant to trust or connect. They’ve lived through trauma, abuse, neglect and uncertainty, and those experiences don’t just vanish when an adult shows up for them.”
In that epiphany, Joyner again saw something more: potential for spreading the word about CASA’s mission and enlisting support for the organization. It’s no surprise that, as a former teacher and school librarian, Joyner chose to realize that potential by writing a book.
Foster: The CASA Cat is a children’s book that uses CASA’s “cautious, beloved office cat as an allegory for the emotional journey of children in foster care,” said Joyner. “It tells a story that helps children understand why some of their peers might seem quiet, withdrawn or slow to warm up, and how patience, empathy and kindness can make all the difference. I also hope the book provides a perfect way for our advocates to connect with their kids and explain their role.”
One day, as I was trying unsuccessfully to coax Foster closer, it hit me: This is what so many of the children we serve in foster care go through.’
— KARI DUNNAVANT JOYNER ’08, M.S. ’12
Although it’s a children’s book, adults have embraced The CASA Cat as well, donating $2,200 to print enough copies to give one to each of the nearly 200 children CASA serves and to offer some for sale online, with all proceeds going to Piedmont CASA. The donations came from Joyner’s former colleagues in the Charlotte County Public Schools and her fellow Rotarians in the Charlottesville Rotary Chapter.
Joyner clearly is passionate about her work with CASA, which includes attracting and onboarding new volunteers, and strengthening community partnerships.
“The most challenging part is the growing need for volunteers to advocate and the sheer volume of child abuse and neglect cases at the moment. We have a substantial number of kiddos on our waitlist for an advocate, and that weighs heavily on my heart,” she said. “The most fulfilling part is knowing that our work can really change the direction of a child’s life. Our data is clear: Kids with CASAs spend less time in foster care, have improved health and therapeutic outcomes, and do better in school.
“I loved teaching, but I reached a point where I knew I needed a new challenge,” said Joyner, who spent the first 17 years of her career at Randolph-Henry High School. She was a history/ secondary education major…career she’s had so far. She was a history/secondary education major as an undergraduate at Longwood, and she gives her Longwood education at least part of the credit for the fulfilling career she’s had so far.
And what of the real Foster, now immortalized in print?
She’s well-taken care of and loved by the CASA staff, but Joyner says Foster still hasn’t let anyone pet her.
“She might accept a treat or let you sit nearby, but always on her terms and always at a distance. She loves watching us through the office windows and lounging on the fire escape or roof where she can keep an eye on us.”—Sabrina Brown
by
CASA’s adopted office cat, Foster, Kari Joyner wrote a children’s book to help children understand the complex emotional challenges navigated by children in foster care.
Inspired
Piedmont
In Memoriam
1940s
Mary Louise Stoutamire '40 Aug. 18, 2025
Delia Gregory Hall '44 Feb. 14, 2025
Julia Eason Mercer '44 April 1, 2025
Marjorie Vaughan Skidmore '46 Feb. 3, 2025
Virginia Farrier Barger '47 May 17, 2025
Nancy Hughes Clayborne '48 Feb. 8, 2025
Louise Brooks Howard '48 Oct. 5, 2024
Dalila Agostini Amend '49 July 3, 2025
Frankie Hardy Parker '49 Feb. 2, 2025
1950s
Peggy Hughes Compton '50 Feb. 23, 2025
Elizabeth Bragg Crafts '50 July 26, 2025
Jean Oliver Heywood '50 Aug. 11, 2025
Charlotte Jones Blaylock '51 April 16, 2025
Nancy Henderson Wood '51 April 2, 2025
Lucyle Humphries Macon '52 Feb. 17, 2025
Gay Power Mitchell '52 June 8, 2025
Frances Babe Ames '54 July 21, 2025
Margaret Mason Moore Barrett '54 Sept. 12, 2025
Dorothy Edwards Lassiter '54 Aug. 21, 2025
Marjorie Fore Morris '54 July 28, 2025
Joan M. Pershing Poling '54 April 28, 2025
Martha Donaldson Crute '55 July 11, 2025
Jeanne Hobbs Dorsey '55 March 11, 2025
Betty Davis Edwards '55 Feb. 2, 2025
Jane Harlowe Harrison '56 March 28, 2025
Barbara King Benedict '57 March 19, 2025
Faye Edwards Stephens '57 May 29, 2025
Shirley Hardy Worrell '57 Feb. 12, 2025
Marjorie Anderson Solack '58 July 14, 2025
Emily Atkinson Swelnis '58 Dec. 24, 2024
Betty Foster Bryant '59 May 24, 2025
Roberta Silcox Burton '59 Feb. 16, 2025
Dorothy Cothern Nugent '59 June 15, 2025
Della Hammond Reinert '59 Jan. 6, 2025
Betty Spivey Sellers '59 March 20, 2025
1960s
Lorraine Robins Brown '60 May 14, 2025
Linda Lane Connell '60 June 20, 2025
Demetria Koumparakis Costas '60 Jan. 3, 2025
Louise Jordan Harrup '60 July 24, 2025
Beverly Gaskins Vincent '60 May 10, 2025
Dorothy Lee Burnette Elam '61 June 21, 2025
Mary Dodd Mason '61 April 1, 2025
Catherine Reid Smith '61 March 2, 2025
Ann Hill Suit '61 July 4, 2025
Dorothy Hallett Goodwin '62 Dec. 24, 2024
Ann Stuart Gould '62 Jan. 20, 2025
Gwendolyn Stephens Strange '62 May 30, 2025
Rebecca Sue Wilburn '63 June 4, 2025
Linda Craddock Young '64 Aug. 31, 2025
Jean Romm Atkinson '65 April 9, 2025
Mary Whitehead Baker '65 March 1, 2025
Mary Elizabeth Garrison '65 April 8, 2025
Sandra Ferguson Hedrick '65 March 2, 2025
Brenda Martin Hunt '65 April 4, 2025
Diane Schmid Teachey '65 July 28, 2025
Joyce Stanley Treibley '65 April 27, 2025
Sally Hall Whitehurst '65 Aug. 6, 2025
Linda Overbey McLaughlin '66 Feb. 11, 2025
Anne Barbour Waldo Schwab '66 May 15, 2025
Linda Hollomon Sydnor '66 Aug. 6, 2025
Beverley Goodes Wooldridge '66 July 2, 2025
Edwina Miles Covington '67 Feb. 17, 2025
Billie Cuthriell Flippen ’67 Jan. 7, 2025
Sharon Ripley McDonald '67 Feb. 4, 2025
Constance Spradlin Reid '67 Sept. 8, 2025
Kathryn Mustard Jenkins '68 Aug. 11, 2025
Olivia Jenkins Palmore '69 March 21, 2025
Carole Hogg Sorensen '69 Aug. 31, 2025
Ann Ailor Thornton '69 Aug. 25, 2025
Nancy Morton Vaughan '69 June 28, 2025
1970s
Maria Kilmartin Burke '70 April 27, 2025
Jane Crumley Carter '70 July 28, 2025
Diane Winifred Johnson '70 June 4, 2025
Sara Vaughan Philpott '70 April 4, 2025
Lynda Snyder von Spaeth '70 May 21, 2025
Barbara Hamner White '70 March 7, 2025
Connie Faye Grissom ’71 April 3, 2025
Brenda Graves Hair '72 April 16, 2025
Bettie Jo Coverstone Marchi '72 March 13, 2025
Vikki Taylor Travers ’72 Feb. 8, 2024
Maria Grace Givens '74 Aug. 6, 2025
Linda Sue Lewis ’74 Dec. 21, 2024
Marie Jeanette Wiemer '74 March 23, 2025
Patricia Abrams Wright '74 June 26, 2025
Debra Booker Marshall '75 May 2, 2025
Susan Stalnaker Wheeler '75 Feb. 5, 2025
Doris Yvonne Boitnott '76 Jan. 27, 2025
Cindy Lou Bull '77 Aug. 16, 2025
Lois Owen Sandidge '77 July 26, 2025
Jennifer Edwards Tidd '77 July 2, 2025
Dennis Gene Clarkson '78 Oct. 26, 2024
Patricia Anne Morrisette '78 June 12, 2025
Nancy Leigh Gainfort '79 Sept. 12, 2025
Jesse “Robbie” Roberts '79 Feb. 27, 2025
1980s
Ann Harris Gussett '80 May 22, 2025
Sharon Kaye Nicholson '80 June 21, 2025
Sylvia Henson Bohanon '82 March 28, 2025
Gloria D. Smith '82 Feb. 22, 2025
Nancy Collins Talley '82 April 4, 2025
Sharron Hughes Horner '85 April 19, 2025
Brent Alvin Shaw '85 Nov. 9, 2024
Victoria Hopkins Coates '86 May 21, 2025
Erin Elizabeth Dooley '86 Aug. 15, 2025
Dr. Brenda Cross ’88 July 9, 2025
1990s
Tamara Renee Chisholm '91 June 29, 2025
Johneil Arrington ’92 May 23, 2025
Anastasia Xyderis Flegas '94 Feb. 18, 2025
Ellen McDaniel Staton '94 Feb. 4, 2025
Charles Davis Parrett '95 Aug. 3, 2025
Kristin Wiley Felts '96 March 5, 2025
Andre Vincent Gilliam '96 May 20, 2025
Jennifer Martin Reese '97 March 10, 2025
Libby Gough Ashwell '99 June 27, 2025
2000s
David Sandoval Lopez '00 May 12, 2025
James William Hooper '07 April 6, 2025
Edward Lawrence Jennings '07 Feb. 13, 2025
Robert Brian Tibbs '07 Dec. 8, 2024
Narci Marie Dell '08 July 28, 2025
Faculty, Staff and Friends
William Lynnwood Baird Jan. 24, 2025
James D. Breckenridge Feb. 24, 2025
Otis W. Douglas III Feb. 25, 2025
Louard E. Egbert Jr. March 2, 2025
John Feinstein March 13, 2025
Robert E. Frye Sr. Feb. 13, 2025
Dr. Edward Gordon Sept. 20, 2025
Virginia Hilton Hallock May 5, 2025
Andrew Paul Holte July 21, 2025
John W. Howard March 31, 2025
John William Magin Aug. 9, 2025
Grace Fielding Mahone Nov. 22, 2024
Robert Phillip Martin Feb. 25, 2025
Susan H. May Aug. 3, 2025
Evangeline Mae McCort March 19, 2025
Juliette C. Mersiowsky Feb. 12, 2025
William Vincent Nichols IV June 19, 2025
Marvin Douglas Powers Feb. 3, 2025
Jung B. Ra March 28, 2025
Nancy C. Sherman March 12, 2025
Barbara B. Smith Aug. 1, 2025
Homer L. Springer Jr. Feb. 14, 2025
Edward Eugene Wagner May 9, 2025
Dr. Barbara B. Smith
Aug. 1, 2025
A faculty member and head coach of the powerhouse Longwood women’s golf team for nearly three decades, Smith led Longwood to six Virginia State Championships in the 1970s and three Division II National Championships. She was a member of the inaugural class of the Longwood Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005 and was also inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1992.
Otis Douglas III
Feb. 25, 2025
A professor of English for 30 years, Douglas was an enthusiastic teacher of freshman writing, technical writing and fiction writing. As a friend of the Dos Passos family, he was instrumental in gaining permission to name Longwood’s annual writing award in honor of John Dos Passos.
Dr. Louard Edward “Lee” Egbert Jr.
March 2, 2025
A professor of music, Egbert was also the co-author of Longwood’s alma mater. An educator for nearly a half century, Egbert was known for his dedication and artistry that inspired a love for music in his students.
Dr. Susan May
Aug. 3, 2025
An English professor for nearly 30 years, May was a Shakespearean scholar who completed the monumental task of compiling and annotating a “variorum edition” of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. After retiring from teaching in 1996 to work on that collection full time, she continued to serve Longwood in numerous roles, including as an advisor and secretary to the Faculty Senate.
Dr. Homer Springer Jr.
Feb. 14, 2025
An art professor for 33 years at Longwood, as well as the art department chair, Springer was known for his patience, kindness and creativity. He believed deeply in the power of art to inspire and transform, guiding students with both skill and heart.
Maura Radloff Madigan ’15 (school librarian endorsement) released her third book, The School Librarian’s Guide to (Almost) Everything. Published by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), the book offers practical wisdom on nearly 100 topics related to school libraries. Madigan previously wrote two books in a standards-based learning series titled Project-Based Learning for Elementary Grades and Learning Centers for School Libraries.
2020s
Dr. Devin Foster ’20, M.S. ’22 (health and physical education), was named assistant principal at Nottoway Intermediate School in July 2025. Foster, who recently completed his Doctor of Education in administration and supervision at Liberty University, has held numerous positions in his hometown Nottoway County Public Schools, including student community coordinator, health and physical education teacher, head wrestling coach and assistant football coach. A Nottoway County native, he also serves his hometown as depu-
ty chief of the Blackstone Volunteer Fire Department. Foster’s undergraduate degree is in health and physical education.
Hannah Dankenbring Messer ’22 is an emergency room travel nurse with HealthTrust Workforce Solutions. She and her husband, Ryan Messer ’26—who proposed to Hannah on the High Bridge Trail and is currently pursuing his MBA at Longwood—also welcomed their first child in March 2025.
Bill LaManque, MBA ’24, was named director of airports for Kern County, California. LaManque has worked in aviation for more than three decades, including airport planning, operations, business development and flight instruction. Prior to his new role, he was the senior planner for the Virginia Department of Aviation.
Carol Dixon ’25 landed her “dream job” in North Carolina as a caregiver with Alamance Eldercare. A sociology major at Longwood, she oversees the organization’s aging respite and resources for multiple cities. She also recently got engaged.
MEGAN SCOTT CAMPBELL ’18 and her husband, DYLAN CAMPBELL ’19, welcomed their son, Ezekiel “Zeke” Dylan Campbell, on Feb. 14, 2025. Megan earned a degree in history/secondary education at Longwood; Dylan’s degree is in political science. The couple joked throughout the pregnancy about naming their son Ruffner, where they had classes together, but settled on taking him to see the Rotunda one day instead.
Margaret Dudley ’25 is a staff archaeologist at Red Hill Plantation and supervised a group of 10 Longwood archaeology students during an excavation. Read more about their work at Red Hill on Page 3.
Margaret Dudley ’25 joined the archaeology team at Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial as a full-time staff archaeologist. The site is the former home and final resting place of Founding Father Patrick Henry and the location of several ongoing digs. Dudley oversaw the excavation of Red Hill’s Double Cabins site, where she and a group of 10 Longwood archaeology students hired by Red Hill studied the remains of two structures that formerly housed enslaved people on the plantation. Dudley majored in anthropology and archaeology at Longwood.
Thomas Robinson ’25 was named running backs coach for the Hampden-Sydney College football team. Robinson previously served as assistant football coach at Appomattox County High School from 2015-20 and 2023-24, helping the team win five Virginia state championships. A health and physical education major at Longwood, he was also the head coach of the Appomattox County Middle School football team from 2016-18.
SEND US YOUR CLASS notes. If you have any news from your professional or personal life, we’d love to hear about it. Please email the details to us at alumni@longwood.edu. Remember to give us your full name, the year you graduated and the degree you received.
Ashley Seiders ’25 received a Phi Kappa Phi fellowship that she will apply to her graduate studies in the University of Lynchburg’s Master of PA Medicine program. A biology major at Longwood, she was one of only 48 first-year graduate students nationwide to receive the award. Also an emergency medical technician with the Prince Edward Volunteer Rescue Squad during her time at Longwood, Seiders aims to become a physician assistant.
Sheri McGuire
Farmer’s daughter, savvy businessperson, and lover of nature, Ireland, traditional music, painting and more
Sheri McGuire ’91 grew up working on her father’s tobacco farm, which she remembers fondly and counts as her first job. She’s come a long way since then. With a Longwood career spanning 30 years, today McGuire is the university’s associate vice president for community and economic development and executive director of the Small Business Development Center. She was a driving force behind the SEED Innovation Hub, which opened recently thanks in large part to her vision and determination. But she’s never lost her love of being immersed in nature, and she’s still adding new “loves” to her list of favorite things.
I WAS THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY to graduate from college. My parents had always wanted me to go, so they were understandably upset when I told them I was getting married at 18. My husband promised them that he would support whatever path I took. I went to community college first because that was affordable; then I enrolled at Longwood. By then my son had been born, and sometimes I’d bring him to class with me when I didn’t have child care. Later I got my MBA from Virginia Tech.
MY FAVORITE THING FROM MY CHILDHOOD is a well-worn copy of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. My sister gave it to me, and I made her read to me over and over and over again. I read it to my son, too, when he was little.
WHEN I WAS IN FIFTH GRADE the high-school band came to my school and played for us. I knew right then I wanted to play the flute, and I played in the band through high school. I started playing the Irish flute in 2016. I love to catch up with my Irish music friends for a session. I think traditional music is in my DNA. Every time I have heard it, it has spoken to me.
I LOVE NATURE AND HIKING. I recently took a 14-week course through the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service to become a Virginia master naturalist volunteer.
I LOVE SKETCHING. Every time I go to a music camp, I take my journal and my little set of travel watercolors, and I sketch. I do the same thing when I go hiking and when I travel.
PEOPLE SHOULD TRAVEL TO County Kerry, Ireland. I’ve been there at least four times with my husband, William,
who graduated from Longwood in 1990. If you’ve ever been somewhere that your soul feels at home, that’s how it feels to me. We always rent a cottage on a farm. It’s such a peaceful and beautiful place: mountains, ocean, beautiful hiking trails and the village pub where everyone hangs out.
OFF THE CLOCK
They keep the lights on, the syllabi current and so much more— seen and unseen— around campus. The faculty or staff member featured here in each issue calls Longwood home—and not just during working hours.
I’M HORRIBLE AT cleaning my house. I do it myself—but I’d rather do just about anything than clean.
I AM GOOD AT what I call pattern thinking. I can look at a situation or a recipe or a project and figure out what interesting pieces it needs and how I can put it together. The Innovation Hub was putting a lot of different elements together that really complement each other but that others might not have thought about.
MY FAVORITE THING ON MY DESK is a small owl carved out of stone that I got on a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I have always loved owls—I call them my spirit animal. I also love the Native American description of “owl medicine.” It’s the intuition and wisdom of being able to see beyond the obvious.
MY FAVORITE PLACE ON CAMPUS is Brock Commons. I like feeling the energy there when classes are changing. You never know who you’re going to run into and stop to have a conversation. I think there’s a similar vibe at SEED. It’s a community intersection where people are inspired by the interactions they have with each other.
Illustration by Fian Arroyo
201 High Street
Farmville, VA 23909
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Moment of Reflection. Taking part in the newest addition to Longwood’s Brock Experiences program, students immersed themselves in the history of New Orleans and explored how the city’s past influences its present and future. Page 16.